ponedjeljak, 28. prosinca 2009.

I have been reading about this debate on every football site I have visited ever since Marca released a statement saying that C.Ronaldo is more complete player than Messi. Every football fan has a personal opinion on this topic and this debate won’t end until they both retire or one truly shows that he is better than the other. There are just too many factors to consider and while one player may be regarded as the best by one fan, another supporter will invariably disagree.

While Marca’s statement is no surprise, the results of the ten categories analysed was: Ronaldo didn’t only beat Messi in six departments, but the Argentine only dominated a measly two categories, leaving the other two in a tie. I will try to evaluate both players through the given categories and even supply you with some videos from YouTube that will help you make up you mind.

COLLECTIVE GAME

Marca:• Messi 8• Cristiano Ronaldo 7

A hard category to judge any player, especially two very individual players who are idolized because of their game winning moves and not their work-rate. But it’s not a big surprise to see results like this. Ronaldo has been panned for being arrogant, self-centered and too individualistic because he wants to do everything by himself and earn all the applause for himself, but those are the qualities of born winners who want to be in the spotlight when it matters the most. To be fair, Ronaldo has become more of a team player since his move to Madrid, playing one-twos and sometimes even looking for his teammates who are in better position to shot.Messi, on the other hand, although possesses world class dribbling skills , does rely on teamwork, often playing one-twos with his teammates, or drawing out defenders off the ball for his colleagues to run into space. He is also a quite player often rather staying in the shadow rather than getting all the glory for himself, which is definitively commendable, but is something that often separates great players from best ever (you can ask that Maradona anytime).

My verdict:• Messi 7• Cristiano Ronaldo 5

Conclusion:

Neither of these players deserve a bigger score because if you compare them to Zanneti, Diarra or Xavi they aren’t much of a collective players, but more of a individuals. This is an example of how a collective player plays:

INDIVIDUAL TECHNIQUE

Marca:• Cristiano Ronaldo 9• Messi 9

There’s no doubting that both players have outstanding technique, whether it’s ball control, dribbling, shooting, or even showboating. This was perhaps the one category that’s the most difficult to split the two and there’s nothing to indicate, performance-wise, that one player has better technique than the other.

My verdict:• Cristiano Ronaldo 9• Messi 9

Conclusion:

Even though their technique is outstanding, it is nowhere near Zidane, so I’m giving them both of them a 9. Let’s remember once more how Zizou did it:

PHYSICALITY

Marca:• Cristiano Ronaldo 10• Messi 7

Cristiano is clearly much taller, stronger, muscular and robust, although some would poke fun at him for going to ground more often than he should. Ronaldo uses his attributes very well, is it for running past the defenders or out-jumping them, he just has what it takes to beat anyone who stands in his way.Messi has shown, however, that size really doesn’t matter. The Argentine has been known to use his low centre of gravity giving him a massive advantage when he’s running with the ball and squeezing past opponents. And despite being just 1.69 meters tall, the Argentine tries to stay on his feet as long as possible and keep charging forward even when defenders are attempting to hack him down. The only thing that he is missing is aerial ability, because he can’t really outjump a 2.00 meters tall defender.

My verdict:• Cristiano Ronaldo 10• Messi 9

Conclusion:

Despite being so small, Messi manages to use that to his advantage so I’m giving him a high score. Ronaldo has everything what a modern footballer should have and deserves the highest score possible.

PACE

Marca:• Cristiano Ronaldo 9• Messi 8

Another difficult category to separate as both players are incredibly quick, have tremendous bursts of speed and excellent balance when making sharp changes in direction. Of course, we will never know conclusively who is the fastest until they go head to head in a foot race.Messi’s gift is his immaculate close control of the ball when he’s on his familiar marauding sprints. The Barca prodigy also has a very distinguishable way of running, taking quick-fire small, shuffling steps. In contrast, Ronaldo uses his long legs to take big steps and stride forward like a gazelle, not unlike his good friend Usain Bolt. But the Portuguese is more recognized for his pace for the simple reason that he uses his raw speed to take on and beat defenders, while Messi relies more on his close control and dribbling skills.

My verdict:• Cristiano Ronaldo 10• Messi 8

Conclusion:

A recent study has shown that Ronaldo is currently the fastest player in the world. He may not be the fastest person on the planet, but his pace is more than enough for a football player to get a pace score of 10. Here we can see his pace compared to a Bugatti:

DRIBBLING

Marca:• Messi 10• Cristiano Ronaldo 8

This is category is one of the most important ones for players of this caliber and type. Ronaldo’s dribbling skills are flashy and produce some great looking moves, his tricky footwork, shimmies, step-overs, flicks and backheels make it easy for him to beat an opponent one-on-one and he can effortlessly breeze past a rival with his pace, but he’s not the kind of dribbler who can glide past five or six defenders in a crowded area, which is something that Messi can. And as mentioned above in the ‘Pace’ category, Messi rightly wins this battle. Here is a video comparison of these two greats:

My verdict:• Messi 9• Cristiano Ronaldo 8

Conclusion:

Now, you must be asking yourself why did I give “just” 9 to Messi since his dribbling skills are obviously outstanding, well because of this guy right here who is better than both of them:

SHOOTING

Marca:• Cristiano Ronaldo 9• Messi 8

Messi is not a forward who depends on the power of his shot. Even when he’s right infront of goal, he prefers to caress the ball past the goalkeeper rather than try to take the poor shot-stopper’s head off. Ronaldo, meanwhile, is always trying to score the outrageous 30-meter piledriver and demonstrating the lethal, brute force of his right foot is part of his game. But shooting doesn’t mean just power. Accuracy is also part of the calculation and both players can be deadly accurate from the 20-yard mark. Ronaldo has been more successful from long range than Messi and therefore deserves a higher score.

My verdict:• Cristiano Ronaldo 10• Messi 8

Many of you will now think that Ronaldo doesn’t deserve 10 and even I’ve been thinking who is better at long range than he is. Of course a few players come to my mind, but most of them have shown their skills only from free kicks, ie. Roberto Carlos and Juninho, while Ronaldo has demonstrated that he doesn’t need the game to be stopped to take a 30-meter shot which will make the crowd go nuts and he does it more often than never.

PASSING

Marca:• Cristiano Ronaldo 9• Messi 9

I don’t consider any of these players to be great passers and therefore I don’t agree with the given scores. I have seen some flashy passes made by Ronaldo and some great through balls by Messi, but they are nowhere near Xavi, Pirlo, Guti when it comes to passing. Many other websites have considered Messi to be better than Ronaldo at passing, but I don’t agree with that since there isn’t really that much of a difference. Both of them prefer dribbling to passing and use passing as a “last resort”.

My verdict:• Cristiano Ronaldo 7• Messi 7

Conclusion:

The scores might seem a little harsh, but I can’t find a single reason to give them a higher score than the one I have given. On the other hand, this guy would have been the best playmaker of the decade if he weren’t so inconsistent. Enjoy some of his best passes:

HEADING

Marca:• Cristiano Ronaldo 9• Messi 7

If the previous category drew some fierce debates, then this one certainly is a no contest. Messi is working to improve on his aerial threat, something that he used to great effect to twist the dagger into the Devils’ heart in last season’s Champions League final against Ronaldo and his former club, Manchester United.But Cristiano is one of the best headers of the ball, at least for a non-conventional target striker. He has the ability to outjump even the tallest of defenders and he is one of those players who seem to defy gravity by simply hanging in the air longer than is humanly possible.

My verdict:• Cristiano Ronaldo 9• Messi 5

Conclusion:

Probably the biggest difference between these two players, if these guys had a heading contest Ronaldo would have won 10/10 without breaking a sweat. Even though his aerial ability is outstanding, he is some way behind Koller, Bierhoff, Toni and other tall strikers and deserves "only" a 9.

LEADERSHIP

Marca:• Cristiano Ronaldo 9• Messi 7

Ronaldo, the one who regularly throws temper tantrums and sulks on the pitch (or used to, at least), boast great leadership attributes? Disagree as much as you want, but the Portuguese is the captain of his national team and he can often be seen rallying his Madrid team-mates.Messi, on the other hand, seems like the kind of player who just wants to have fun with the ball out on the pitch and can’t be bothered concerning himself with leading ten other men. Not to suggest that he’s a sheep, but when you have a player like him, you would certainly want him to focus more on this football than on anything else.

My verdict:• Cristiano Ronaldo 7• Messi 6

Conclusion:

Neither has any leadership abilities, but Ronaldo is a captain of Portugal and has some charisma, while Messi is not the type of player which would push others to do their best.

FREEKICKS & PENALTIES

Marca:• Cristiano Ronaldo 9• Messi 7

The recent research by a physics professor that Ronaldo’s thunderbolts behave like a baseball – something that you just feel may have sparked Marca’s own study of who is the more complete player in the first place – has of course made CR9’s freekicks more glorified and feared than Messi’s.It’s easier to curl the ball over the ball into the back of the net than it is to make it dip, swerve, bend and U-turn. To hit the ball the way Ronaldo does require immense precision in technique and the slightest of miscalculations could send the ball flying towards the team bus out in the stadium parking lot. The two of them are also near flawless when it comes to penalties, not just in terms of executing them but also the psychology and the art behind it. But the €94 million man has made taking freekicks one of his trademarks, while Messi isn’t taking them as often as Ronaldo.

My verdict:• Cristiano Ronaldo 9• Messi 7

Conclusion:

Both of them are great penalty takers, but when it comes to free kicks Ronaldo is a lot better and his special technique is a wonder to see, something like Roberto Carlos trademark free kick taking technique. The best free kick ever:

FINAL ANALYSIS

Marca:

According to Marca Ronaldo is better in 6 categories, 2 categories are tied and Messi is better in 2 categories. Ronaldo has an overall score of 88, while Messi has 80.

My verdict:

My opinion is that much different from Marca’s. The winner of the categories are the same but the overall score is a bit different. Ronaldo has an overall score of 84, while Messi has 75.

Conclusion:

In the final analysis, Ronaldo does emerge as the more complete player, but it’s a much closer contest than you would think. Cristiano and Leo have become the two best players in the world over the past two years or so and their supremacy has been unchallenged.

'CR9' is backing any potential advances from Madrid president Florentino Perez for his former partner in crime, who according to the Portuguese, has the necessary attributes to succeed in the Spanish capital, and La Liga.

"He can be a spectacle and sensation at Real Madrid and has all of the qualities to succeed in La Liga," he said, as quoted by The Mirror.

But the England talisman, who has previously stated he has no desire to play outside of the Premier League, is fiercely loyal to Manchester United, where he is reportedly set to sign a bumper deal in the coming months.

Which means los Blancos' chances of luring the Everton youth product from Old Trafford in the foreseeable future are minuscule to say the least.

The £80 million expensive Portuguese star has previously stuck his former Red Devil colleague's hand up for a move to the Bernabeu.

Bolton Wanderers are lining up an ambitious swoop for Real Madrid play-maker Guti for the January transfer window in a bid to maintain their Premier League status next season.

The Mirror reports that Trotters coach Gary Megson is quietly confident of landing the midfielder, who has been blacked out by los Blancos boss Manuel Pellegrini since a much-publicised their row erupted between the two three months ago.

It is claimed that the former Spanish international will be invited for talks, accompanied with a tour around Bolton's facilities where the two parties will thrash out terms regarding a potential move.

Guti's salary demands means the Premier League outfit would need to fork out approximately £2 million per annum for the player's services, but Megson is confident such a move will yield great long-term results, given their current lowly position in the league.

Two of Guti's former Madrid team-mates have graced the Reebok Stadium in the past - Ivan Campo and the legendary Fernando Hierro - both of whom could prove pivotal in luring the out-of-favour Madrid star to England.

The player has apparently been taking English lessons in preparation of playing out is career in the Premier League.

Real Madrid are already planning their next Galactico swoop, with three names in the pipeline.

According to Marca, their primary objective is Sergio Aguero. Atletico Madrid are likely to need to sell next summer, and Los Merengues will seriously consider paying his €60 million buy-out clause, as they believe he can be a future Ballon D'Or winner.

Should they fail to land the Argentine, Los Blancos will return to the David Villa option. 'El Guaje' was almost signed last summer, until a last minute complication. He would also add to the Spanish contingent at the Bernabeu. The club believe that he is eager to join them, but Valencia have proved hard to negotiate with previously, and his buyout clause is €120 million.

Finally, their third choice is Wayne Rooney. However, this transfer seems highly unlikely, given that Sir Alex Ferguson would be loathe to lose another star to Los Merengues a year after the sale of Ronaldo. Additionally, there are no buy-out clauses in England.

With Ruud Van Nistelrooy's conract set to expire and Raul's future in doubt, one of the above could be Madrid's latest Galactico come next summer.

Veteran Real Madrid midfielder Guti could be set for a surprise switch to Turkish outfit Besiktas, according to AS.

Besiktas coach Mustafa Denizli was in Madrid to discuss the idea of taking Guti on loan for the rest of the season and with Real officials apparently receptive to the idea, all that remains is for Guti to accept the move.

Guti is believed to be ready to end his 25 year association with the club but is understood to favour a move to the English Premier League which would fulfill a long held desire for the 33-year-old midfielder.

He is known to be learning English and AS has identified Manchester United, Manchester City and Blackburn Rovers as potential suitors for a loan deal but none are known to have matched the financial offer of the Turkish outfit.

Guti still has a year and a half to run on his current deal at Madrid but has reportedly told friends that his position with Los Blancos is "unsustainable".

Real Madrid star Kaka has declared himself fit to return to first team action after a month on the sidelines.

The Brazilian playmaker has not featured for Los Blancos since the narrow 1-0 defeat to champions Barcelona at Camp Nou on November 29 but looks set for a possible return to action against Osasuna in Pamplona on January 3.

Los Merengues opted to rest the star after the Barca defeat in an attempt to address the groin injury without needing surgery and it appears to have paid off as the 27-year-old says he is ready to return.

"I am totally fine, I am cured. There is no pain and I hope to work with the group this week and get back in shape physically," he is quoted as saying by AS.

Kaka has been in Brazil during the Christmas period but is set to return this week as Madrid prepare for the trip to Pamplona.

About Real Madrid C.F.

Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid (and in Spain, within an adequate context, simply as el Madrid), is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. It is the most successful team in Spanish football and was voted by FIFA as the most successful club of the 20th century, having won a record thirty-one La Liga titles, seventeen Spanish Cups, a record nine European Cups and two UEFA Cups. Real was a founding member of FIFA and the now-defunct G–14 group of Europe's leading football clubs as well as its replacement, the European Club Association. The word "Real" in the club's name is the Spanish term for "Royal", and was added in 1920 together with the royal crown in the emblem.

Founded in 1902, Real Madrid has since spent all of its history in the top flight of Spanish football. In the 1940s, the club, the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium and the Ciudad Deportiva were rebuilt following the Spanish Civil War. The club established itself as a major force in both Spanish and European football during the 1950s. In the 1980s, the club had one of the best teams in Spain and Europe (known as La Quinta del Buitre), winning two UEFA Cups, five Spanish championships in a row, one Spanish cup and three Spanish Super Cups.

The team traditional home colours are all white, although it initially adopted a blue oblique stripe on the shirt. Its crest has been changed several times in attempts to modernise or re-brand; the current crest is a modified version of the one first adopted in the 1920s. Real's home ground is the 80,354-person-capacity Santiago Bernabéu football stadium in downtown Madrid, where it has played since 1947.

Real Madrid holds long-standing rivalries with some other clubs; the most notable of these is with FC Barcelona, the two teams regularly contest in El Clásico. Unlike most European football clubs, Real Madrid's members (socios) have owned and operated the club since its inception. The club is the world's richest football club (€351m) in terms of revenue and the second most valuable (worth over €950m as of 2008).

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